Florida lawmakers pass $114.5 billion budget

Florida lawmakers finalized an $114.5 billion budget Friday, concluding a special session after failing to pass one during the regular session. The House approved the plan 99-6, while the Senate voted unanimously, despite disagreements between House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton over spending levels. Perez pushed for reducing the current budget exceeding $115 billion, while Albritton prioritized maintaining funding levels. The budget allocates $30 billion to K-12 schools, including $201 million for teacher pay raises—limited to educators with 10 years of experience and capped at $3,000 annually—to retain veteran teachers. Democrats criticized the budget for falling short on cost-of-living relief, noting districts like Orange County face a $13 million shortfall due to enrollment declines. They also opposed the elimination of preeminence funding for universities, such as the University of Central Florida, which recently qualified for the program designed to boost research. The budget includes $196 million to support Florida’s citrus industry, which has struggled with freezes, disease, and development pressures. Albritton, a citrus farmer, framed the funding as a recovery effort for a key part of the state’s economy. Additionally, targeted 4% raises were approved for corrections officers, state law enforcement, and firefighters, while other state workers received no pay increases. Only six House Democrats voted against the budget, though critics argued it did little to address inflation and financial strain on Floridians. Republicans defended the plan as fiscally responsible while investing in public safety, education, and infrastructure.